I am a rheumatologist and instructor of medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine undertaking clinical research training under the guidance of David Felson, and pursuing a doctorate in epidemiology at the BU School of Public Health. My long term goal is to establish a career as an independent researcher in the field of pharmacoepidemiology with special interest in drugs used in the rheumatic diseases. The increasing availability of extremely large patient-care databases with comprehensive clinical information presents an unparalleled opportunity to explore questions related to incidental and even expected drug effects. My current interests are in the effects of different glucocorticoid (GC) regimens on the risk for GC- induced adverse events. I am using a large Veterans Administration database of several million persons, all with detailed pharmacy records, to study the risks of various GC regimens on developing osteonecrosis. Here, we will extend this research, using methods currently being piloted, to assess the risk of different GC regimens on the risk of cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke. The research units in which I will work - the Clinical Epidemiology Research and Training Unit at BUSM and the Center for Health Quality, Outcomes, and Economic Research (CHQOER) at the VA Bedford, MA Medical Center - are ideally suited to help me pursue these goals. The first, under the direction of Dr. Felson, has a long record of producing high-quality research and excellent researchers. CHQOER has established itself as an important site of research into veterans'health. Both sites have valuable resources including space, equipment, and knowledgable faculty to help me achieve my goals.